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Matt Fioretti- Guide/Owner- has led 20 expeditions and has 35 seasons of experience at altitude.

Matt Fioretti - Guide/Owner has led 22 expeditions and has 36 seasons of experience at altitude.

About Four Winds

HISTORY

Four Winds Himalayan Guide Service has been guiding trips in the Himalaya since 1994. We have more than 22 years and 38 seasons of experience at altitude, including 19 successful climbing expeditions. With an emphasis on uncrowded treks and remote climbs, clients leave Nepal/Tibet having experienced the rich culture, ancient trails, and the intense climbing available in the Himalaya. Founder Matt Fioretti has been Alpine climbing since 1984 and brings 26 years of experience to the high altitude arena. Gambia Sherpa and Singa Lama joined Matt early on and bring with them more than 30 years combined experience on the trails and steep faces of the high peaks. The accumulation of years and passion for the mountains between the 3 individuals insures a safe, rare adventure.

GROUP SIZE

Our trips are intimate. We allow only 6 to 9 trekkers and 2 to 6 climbers on a journey. You can call the owner Matt Fioretti at home or office anytime prior to the trek or climb. Weather your on a climb or trek, individual attention is one of our top priorities. You can expect prompt, courteous responses to your questions. Pre-trip orientations allow for everyone to receive a comfortable knowledge about the journey. While on the trek our adherence to small group size helps members become brother and sister, a camaraderie that often lasts for years afterwards. The intimacy is extended to our Sherpa and Nepali friends. We have created lasting relationships with the locals. Our group is greeted with a warmth that suggests we are part of the family. You feel at home and get a “backstage” view into the culture.

ABILITY

Almost anyone can do a trek in the Himalaya. You can be a beginner and feel comfortable with our experienced staff. Our age group has spanned 11 to 79 years old. The pace is slow and comfortable, each day hiking village to village and traversing the highest mountain range in the world. Everyone has acclimatized on our treks because of the calm pace and expertise of the guides. For the more advanced we offer guided and commercial climbs. Climbers with experience but daunted by the idea of high altitude, are taught expedition skills and the logistics of climbing a big mountain in a safe environment. For those who don’t need a guide we offer commercial trips. This means we handle all the logistics and red tape that are inherent in the Nepal Permit system, but you go as a climbing team member proficient at climbing.

SAFETY

Safety is our number one priority. Each group is registered with the American Embassy in Kathmandu and is equipped with a satalite phone. In 22 years of leading trips on the trails and mountains of Nepal our safety record is flawless.

Join us. We are personable, professional, fun, and have years of experience at altitude.

We specialize in the Himalaya of Nepal so you will have a transformational, adventure. One cannot walk through the Himalaya with out being changed or experiencing some shift in the soul.

Trekking and Climbing Shedule

Please call for possible openings for 2017. Now taking deposits for April, 2017, and 2017 trips

2017 March Expedition- Mt Everest, Tibet side $28,000

April 2017 Trek-Trek the 5 holy lakes in the Gokyo area. Hike to the summit of a 17700 foot peak. Cross a 17660 foot pass, visit 2 monasteries while trekking village to village. 20 days door to door. All abilities. 3 spaces left

September 2017 - Pilgrimage Mt. Kailash -Tibet's holy mountain. A true extreme hike and adventure. Hiking over the crest of the Himalaya in Nepal to Tibet. Then circumambulating Tibet's holy mountain on pilgrimage with Tibetans.Must be in excellent physical condition. 7 to 9 hour hiking days at altitude. 4 spaces left.

Sept. 2017 - Ama Dablam Expedition.Four Winds has led 3 expeditions to Ama Dablam and we will return in 2017. A classic climb to test your climbing ability. 5.8 rock, AI 2 Ice, all mixed with altitude make this a challenging climb. spaces available

October 2017 Trek-Trek the 5 holy lakes in the Gokyo area. Hike to the summit of a 17700 foot peak. Cross a 17660 foot pass and visit 2 monasteries while trekking village to village. All abilities. 6 Spaces Left

For more information and pricing please email or call.

Phone: 206-282-0472

Email: fourwindsexpedtions@gmail.com

Website: fourwindsexpeditions.com

Greg Valentine and Matt Fioretti did the first ascent of Nireka in a 2 day alpine style push.

Nearing the summit on the first ascent of Nireka. Four Winds strives to do peaks that are uncrowded, remote, and rarely done. On many of our expeditions we are the only team on the mountain.

Matt Fioretti eyeing the South Ridge of Cholatse

What clients have to say....

True to his word, Matt was committed to safety on our trek to Nepal.He is knowledgeable, organized and has a positive attitude which is infectious. Matt is well loved in the communities we visited. The respect and admiration he has developed with the Nepali people created a unique, enhanced and truly exceptional experience for our group. Thanks, Matt! October 2013 Trek.

K. Baker

Going to Nepal was like stepping into the pages of National Geographic with the color, chaos and crowds of Kathmandu to the breathtakingly beautiful snow capped Himalayas. Matt had said we would stay with friends (I read business associates; I was wrong). These people were Matt's second family and they treated us as family. I didn't have as much vacation time as the rest of my group, so I returned early. It snowed one night and the inn keeper, Urken wouldn't let me leave until the trail was broken. A little while later I looked out the window and Urken was up on the mountain checking the trail for me. He came back in and said it was safe to go now. Later as I was crossing one of many suspension bridges, my porter, Prem, ran ahead of me to stop the yak train from starting across the bridge until I had finished crossing. With Matt's group you're not a tourist, you're part of Nepal, you're family.

Namaste,

Kathy

“It has been years since I went with Matt and his crew to Ama Dablam and crazy as it sounds, it still feels like yesterday. The experience was one that is hard to put into words, when you are there amongst the people and grandeur of the Himalayas you feel all at once small and insignificant, yet more real and present than ever. I carry the essence and spirit of that journey with me everyday. Just go… more than that, go with Matt.”

I was just shy of 60 when I did the Everest Trail Trek with Matt. It was one of the most memorable events in my life! I loved it! And I learned some trekking lessons that apply to the rest of life, as well---like "Pace yourself." Those of us who did pace ourselves made it to the magnificent Everest Base Camp area at 17,000'. Throughout the entire trek we always felt secure with wonderfully kind Sherpas always there to lend a hand and encourage us onward. It was a grand initial experience into trekking that held so very many gifts from beginning to end.

Port Townsend

"My trips to Nepal with Four Winds were life-changing experiences, in the best possible way. Being halfway around the world, in an unfamiliar place, thousands of miles away from everything you know, can be a scary situation, but when you're with Matt, there's a comfort level. It feels like all of Nepal is your family."

M. Mahoney

Yes, the trek stands out as one of my life's most amazing experiences, certainly because of the Himalayas magnificence, but also due to our group's lighthearted, playful camaraderie, the welcoming arms of the locals at the teahouses where you had been before, evening card games, and the way you kept us always under your protective eye ... checking every day for our oxygen saturation levels, making sure we drank enough water, stopping for rest when needed, and also encouraging us along, like on Gokyo Ri, for those last panting steps, so that I might not miss the view of one of the world's most spectacular, breath-taking sights ... and yet, I never felt pampered or stifled, as you simultaneously offered ample space for us to move in our own rhythms, moods and pace.

If I never properly said thanks to you before for all that Matt ... Thanks!!! ... the experience will continue to resonate within me for my lifetime!

Some things that are extraordinary about Nepal and going with Four Winds. Kids smiling faces, fluffy clouds, the aroma of incense, village life, and the journey in the mountains. I especially liked the pace of the trek. I could go at my own pace and felt comfortable. Tim S.

With Matt I have successfully climbed a 6000 meter peak and a 8000 meter peak in the Himalaya even though I suffer from a liver disease. The first was Naya Kanga, 6000M, post -monsoon , in the Langtang region near Ganga La. The friends I made have become lifelong best friends, not only the fellow trekkers but the sherpas as well, like Singi and Sangi who brought me milk tea (Dudh Chai)and cheese on the descent. The Four Winds staff, assistants and Sherpas, make the journey possible. When climbing Cho Oyu from Tibet we spent 7 weeks in the Dingri Region and 4 weeks above 20K feet, climbing to 27,500 feet without oxygen. Matt, being the consummate guide escorted a sick teammate back to BC. Two of the five members made the summit. When I go back it will be with Four Winds and fortunately with Matt who also had a serious illness sidetrack him, but who has already made his recovery and found his way back to the Himalayas. This is the true meaning of meeting life's challenges, and this is what you can achieve with Four Winds. Hope to see you on the high mountains. Namaste!

Glen Anders

Matt and Four Winds Himalayan Guide Service kindled in me a deep love of alpine climbing on my first trip to Nepal in 1999. This first trip taught me a lot and I have returned to Nepal with Matt four times since. Matt has a deep love and respect for the indigenous culture of the Sherpa people of the Khumbu, and in his 20 year dealings with the people in that region, he has established many deep friendships; it is especially remarkable to share in these connections with him. I have always felt safe when climbing with Matt. He has developed good mountain sense over the years, and his motto "may the four winds blow you safely home" is a propos of his climbing philosophy which holds safety in high regard. Matt is also a fountainhead of ideas, and has always provided a source of inspiration for those seekers who take to the mountains. I have learned a lot from Matt's personal struggles with aplastic anemia, and his return to active climbing continues to inspire many people to see mountains as metaphors for the challenges we all face in life. I have Matt to thank for what has developed into a life-long passion for me. It all started with one trip to the Himalaya.

My journey to Nepal with Matt and Four Winds was inspirational and life-transforming. Matt's expertise in guiding allowed us to safely explore the exquisite beauty of the Himalayas and experience Nepal's fascinating culture. We always felt welcome wherever we went, as Matt has formed incredible connections with the people of Kathmandu, the sherpas who gently encouraged us, and the families who brought us into their homes and fed us delicious meals. Nepal is a hiker and climber's paradise and an adventurer's dream. It's beauty is truly divine. The journey has made a permanent impact on the way I live my life, appreciate nature and take risks. I highly recommend traveling with Four Winds! Aileen P.

The smell was of burning lantern oils and incense. The colors were the bluest of blues for the sky and the whitest of whites for the clouds. The sounds were of another language, and the ringing of yak bells were soothing to my ears late into the night. The touch of the air was bitter cold in a soothing way. The taste of the food was bland, yet sweet and interesting to my taste buds. When I close my eyes and think back on this journey , it was the most romantic thing I have aver experienced on my own. I have returned with Four Winds 3 times. David Frisk

“Thank you Matt for my wonderful trip to Nepal. It really changed my life forever” Jeanne

Matt, I wanted to officially thank you for a seamless trip to Nepal which you made fun and easy. The trip and all its details were extremely well thought out. With all your planning, I never had to worry about any of the details one would normally have to deal with when traveling half way around the world. I also felt priviledged and protected to be under the many watchful eyes of all the friends you have made over the years (Gombu, Qayoom, Dawafuti & family, Tsedem, etc). Even when I branched off on my own your friends were there to make sure I was safe and happy (Hira, Ramesh, etc). If it wasnt for you and your flexible, can-do attitude, I would never have made this trip to the wonderful and amazing Nepal. D. Oxford

My trip to Nepal was life alterning and I owe so much of that to Matt and his team. He has such a passion for the country and the people that my trip was anything but ordinary. While we were taken to many of the main tourist attraction sites, we were also shown sites of Nepal that few tourists rarely see. My trek back to the 5th holy lake at Goyko will forever be in my heart as one of the greatest experiences of my life. Matt was in constant communication about changes to the intinerary (a common fact when traveling in the third world) and always worked diligently to ensure that things went as smoothly as possible, and that we were getting the best experiences everyday. His easy going personality allows for lots of laughs with quick and lasting bonds being formed. I am grateful to have found Matt and his team. I didn't have one bad expereince on this trip and I look forward to when I will be able to go again!

Everest at sunset from 20,000 ft.Everest Sunset from Pumori.

Nuptse

Taken from Camp I -Pumori

Pumori

S. W. Ridge. Pumori

We are insignificant

Trekkers at 16,000 feet dwarfed by some of the smaller peaks in Nepal. Have trouble acclimatizing? Our treks are designed so everyone acclimatizes.

Nirekha- 5th pitch

Join us in October 2015 on this beautiful climb

Friday, April 30, 2010

Memories of Chapa

We all have arrived at the village of Namche at 11200 feet. We had a beautiful morning on our acclimatization hike to 12500 feet. Everyone had there first view of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and several of the high peaks. I always feel small and insignificant, humbled to walk amongst these peaks.

Ama Dablam holds many memories for me. I spent 3 seasons on the peak with my head Sherpa Chapa. Chapa passed in August of 2007. To view Ama Dablam today from a distance sparked a landslide of emotion. I can feel him watching over me as he always did.

His son Gombu Sherpa is on this trip with me helping with the trekking clients. I have been passing stories to Gombu about his father and how great of a Sirdar(head Sherpa) he was. Today Gombu said to me "I will try to be a great Sirdar like my father".

One story that sticks out in my mind happened on Ama Dablam. I had hiked to camp 1 on Ama Dablam with Chapa and clients. We set up tents and Chapa went on his way back down to Base camp 3 hours away. As I crawled in my tent I realized I had forgotten my sleeping pad. It was going to be a cold night without a pad and 20 digree temperatures. I emptied my pack and spread out the climbing rope and settled in for a long uncomfortable night at 18000 feet.

At 8 pm in the cold evening I see a headlamp through the icy tent wall. Chapa pokes his head in and tosses my sleeping pad in. He had descended to Base Camp and ascended back to camp one when he noticed my mistake. He said "I go down now" and he was gone. I think he had traveled 11 hours that day just to keep me safe.

We went through climbing gear today and we are all packed to go. Everyone is healthy.

This will be my last entry until We get off the mountain around May 20th. Would love to hear from you.

You write beautifully... as you live... and as you surround yourself with loving, caring individuals so, too, are you that love and care... it radiates from your eyes, your spirit, your infectious smile.

You are indeed in your element in the high mountains of the world - closer to the highest beings who walk the earth, and those who soar among us. Keep your feet on the ground and snow for a long time - you have much to share here.

As I stated at the airport, several times: I am so glad that it is with You that Christo is making his first journey to the Himalayas! It is only through your words here on your site that I have the opportunity to see through his eyes... so, Thank you.

My heart follows you each along your route every day. What you experience is personal for every one of you as it includes what you all have brought to the trek: history, emotions, goals, fears even, perhaps doubts of ability... When the group returns, each in it will be changed forever, having accomplished what they set out to do and left parts of their individual baggage on the mountain - the non-physical - which cannot be packed down. They will have you as their catalyst forever linked to these feats.

This must be so very rewarding for you. And still you remain so beautifully humble and Self-aware. What a treasure they have in their midst having you to guide both their bodies and psyches from your own years of experience, trials, and magnificent gratitude for waking each day.

Wake tomorrow with the knowledge that you have touched yet another life back in this 'home' in Seattle... mine. Please give Christo a giant hug from me and share my love his way. Then wake again the next day... Climb on my new friend!

One of my favorite memories of the trek in April 2004 was having lunch with Chapa and his family once we returned to Kathmandu. It's wonderful that his son is hearing stories of his father from you. Safe climbing. Stay strong like yaks!Laura

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Matt Fioretti

Matt Fioretti has been guiding climbing expeditions and leading treks in the Nepal Himalaya for 20 years. April of 2014 he completed his 34th season.
In August of 2004 Matt would embark on one of the hardest climbs of his life with little chance of survival. He was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia a rare bone marrow disorder. For well over a year Matt was in the death zone with blood levels as low as 30% of normal. After a year of struggle he finally accepted taking the only and highly dangerous route of a bone marrow transplant. On October 4 of 2005 he received the marrow of a non related donor, kind of like mixing water and oil and hoping at some point they blend. After 28 rounds of Chemo, 87 blood transfusions, full body radiation and 3 years of toil he reached the summit, surviving what would be the hardest climb of his life to date.
Matt's favorite quote after the experience, "Remember to intentionally tweak your world once in awhile, get out of your comfort zone, it is here where the most growth occurs. Full on security is the denial of life".
Matt has led 20 successful climbing expeditions in the Himalaya. Join one of his trips for an experience of a lifetime.

Climbing Mt Rainier? If you want advice on how to train for Mt. Rainier, plan your own expedition, or traveling light and fast tips. Call for a consultation. 206-282-0472

THANK YOU!

Thank You Omega Pacific! I love the Link Cam. Not only do they lighten my rack but they are awesome when you know you only have a few seconds of holding power left, grab one cam and you know it will fit the placement.

Special Thank you to John and the Zing Bar staff. A totally great tasting bar and real nutrition. The bar was designed by nutritionists. If your a climber, marathoner, runner, triathlete, biker, hiker, paddler, or just want a great, tasty, healthy snack around the home, this is the bar.